Mechanical Help! Mechanical Noise - TC88B

[Phil]

Excellent stuff Jake. Filed that away for future use.

[MadMax]

Jake,
I've noticed a few first hand accounts of problems with the SE tapered adjustable pushrods (18404-08) on the American forums. It seems that the lock nuts are prone to cracking. Just passing the word on before you buy any. I've always used the older type (17997-99A) in my own and customer bikes with no problems so far. You heard of this Phil?

[Phil]

You know what Alex? I have heard my techs complaining about those new pushrods. To be honest I don`t remember why, or what was wrong with them. I will ask tomorrow. I know that like you I prefer the older ones.

We had an issue with the Crane pushrods a few years ago, as the locknuts often came loose, causing the pushrod to unwind.

[banquo]

Thanks for that both...

Jeez....
Cans of worms everywhere I look.
So, are the old pushrods still available?

I seem to remember reading that the SE tapered were far easier than Brand X if replacing without taking the top off....?
I think they said some of them were a problem to adjust with the collapsed covers in place...?

Just got (temporary) power back in the garage over the weekend, so I can see at last. The previous temporary cable was in for 31 years, so no bets on when the replacement gets properly sorted....


To keep the costs down, thinking of having a go at replacing the lifters only, but still have it in mind that those adjusters are going to give only another season at best, so why not just bite the bullet and do the whole cam drive at the same time...? It's going to need done anyway.

What causes a tired lifter anyway (if that's what it is). I think I know the answer to this, but how do we feel about stuffing a can of this in to see if it does any good...?

[Scotty]

If its a lifter thats gone down that stuff aint gonna do nothing.
And if you are gonna replace the cams with bolt in cams their aint any point in using adjustable pushrods, by using them the only advantage your gonna get is ease of future cambox access.

[longtimedead]

Hi ,I've just been reading your tale of woe and hope i can help,I had the very same problem you seem to have with the same noise at low tickover and from the primary area ,it was also on a 2003 bike and thats the key ,i read around on the usa forums and discovered that there were a large number of 2003 bikes built were the nut on the compensator would come loose ,this is due to the type of nut used,I'm not sure if you have taken it off or just tightened it ,if you have taken it of you will know that it has a head of a nut and then a threaded tube welded to the back of it about two inches long presumably to give it more strength,the problem lie's in that some were made 1/8th to long and all you are doing when you tighten it down it tightening it against the backplate,hence you never get enough torque and it eventually comes loose making the compensater slack enough to rock causing the noise you hear ,i did what was recommended and that was to grind of 1/8" of the length of the tube and re-torgue it to Harley's recommended rate which was something really high like 70ft Ib ,I did about 4000 miles after that including a trip to france of 2500 without any further problems,then sold it for another Harley but from the info i read it did fix the problem hopefully for good and cost nothing .I'm not daft enough to say that's definitely what's wrong with your bike but it might be worth checking one more time before you spend money on pushrods etc
Good Luck

[banquo]

Sorry for delayed reply - up to my ass in it right now.....
Scotty = thanx, and yes, no conclusions have been jumped to. Maybe I'm being really stupid, but I thought you needed to cut the stock pushrods to do the cam change without taking the top off?

LTD - the comp. sprocket nut was the favourite choice, and I've read about the out of tolerance length on the US sites. Yours is the first time I've heard of it over here though..

I've checked the nut though, and it's tight. No sign of play on the engine sprocket either, which is why the focus has moved to the timing side.

Could be wrong though. Thanx for your experience; it all helps.

[Scotty]

Originally Posted by banquo

Maybe I'm being really stupid, but I thought you needed to cut the stock pushrods to do the cam change without taking the top off?

No mate you aint being stupid, your right with that, but if your not intending to back in there for another 40,000 miles you wont need the adjustable pushrods, just trying to save you a few quid.

[longtimedead]

Hi again,its about 4 years since i had the problem and my memory is never good, i can't actually remember finding anything looking or feeling loose ,i tried to track were the noise was coming from first by ear with the engine running and i was about 90% sure it was from that area but it seemed to transmit the sound all over the place ,it knocked on tickover and also on light load when ridden but only in a high gear and low rpm,once the revs were up it went away,it sounded like the big ends were going to drop out at any time so i just went for the comp sprocket as it was costing me nothing but a bit of time to do and at least would give me piece of mind that it wasn't another fault waiting to happen ,the torque is 75ft lb so it wasn't easy to get of ,i ground the 1/8th of the nut,added locktite and put it back together torquing it to 75lb and then a bit more and hey presto ,no more noise.
Pity you don't live over in west wales ,i'd come over and have a listen and see if it is the same

[Scotty]

Originally Posted by longtimedead

Hi again,its about 4 years since i had the problem and my memory is never good, i can't actually remember finding anything looking or feeling loose ,i tried to track were the noise was coming from first by ear with the engine running and i was about 90% sure it was from that area but it seemed to transmit the sound all over the place ,it knocked on tickover and also on light load when ridden but only in a high gear and low rpm,once the revs were up it went away,it sounded like the big ends were going to drop out at any time so i just went for the comp sprocket as it was costing me nothing but a bit of time to do and at least would give me piece of mind that it wasn't another fault waiting to happen ,the torque is 75ft lb so it wasn't easy to get of ,i ground the 1/8th of the nut,added locktite and put it back together torquing it to 75lb and then a bit more and hey presto ,no more noise.
Pity you don't live over in west wales ,i'd come over and have a listen and see if it is the same

You should have taken that nut round another 45 degrees, but being as how its been fine since i wouldn't bother.
No need to take any metal off the nut.
The two i have done both had the same thing in common, the locktight was not on the part of the nut that was contacting the thread on the shaft.

Here is the service bulletin..
Compensator Torque M1170.pdf